Minister claims MP Narayan Rane endured criminal cases went to jail to rise in politics

Sindhudurg, Jun 29 (PTI) Maharashtra Shiv Sena minister Bharat Gogawale has claimed that BJP MP and former CM Narayan Rane did not reach his current stature so easily as he faced several criminal cases, went to jail, and indulged in fights and "murder".

    Responding to the remarks, Narayan Rane's son and state BJP minister Nitesh Rane on Sunday said his father has no police record against him related to any murder and that he will meet Gogawale and "broaden his understanding" of certain facts.


    Addressing a gathering at an event in Sindhudurg on Saturday, Gogawale said, "Today we have got strength in the form of Nilesh Rane in the district. Our (Shiv Sena's Sawantwadi MLA Deepak) Kesarkar saheb is not into fights. If a Shiv Sainik does not do ruckus, he is not a Shiv Sainik."


    "At one time in Maharashtra, be it Narayan Rane or many other leaders...Narayan Rane did not reach to this level very easily. He took cases on himself (a reference to criminal cases against Rane), did ruckus, went to jail, indulged in fights, murder...everything happened," the Shiv Sena leader claimed.
    Nilesh Rane, former MP from Sindhudurg-Ratnagiri and the elder son of Narayan Rane, was elected a Shiv Sena MLA from Kudal in the 2024 state assembly polls.

    Narayan Rane is currently the Lok Sabha member from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency. He had also represented Malvan and Kudal assembly constituencies in the state.

    He had been booked in the case of murder of Sindhudurg Congress functionary Shridhar Naik in 1991, but was later acquitted. Shridhar Naik was the uncle of Shiv Sena (then undivided) MLA Vaibhav Naik who defeated Narayan Rane, who was then in the Congress, in the 2014 state assembly polls.

    Asked about Gogawale’s remarks, Nitesh Rane said, "I have not heard Gogawale's speech. But let me remind him that Narayan Rane has served as chief minister, and there is no police record against him related to any murder."


    “I will be meeting Gogawale today to try and broaden his understanding. It was Narayan Rane who toiled for the Shiv Sena and played a crucial role in the party’s growth,” Nitesh Rane told reporters.

    The BJP leader further said the exchange (Gogawale's remarks and reaction on it) could have escalated into a political slugfest, but he preferred to clarify the facts instead.
    The ruling Mahayuti in the state comprises the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP as alliance partners.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)